Criminal Justice News

Monday, April 13, 2015

Final Two Defendants Sentenced to 440 and 348 Months in Prison for the Kidnapping and Murder of DEA Special Agent James “Terry” Watson

Two
Colombian nationals were sentenced to decades in U.S. federal prison today for
their roles in the kidnapping and murder of former Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) Special Agent James “Terry” Watson in Bogotá, Colombia, on
June 20, 2013.

Attorney
General Eric Holder, Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the
Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente of the
Eastern District of Virginia, Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the
FBI’s Miami Field Office, DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart and Bill A.
Miller, Director, U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS)
made the announcement.

“With
these sentencings, all seven defendants involved in the kidnapping and murder
of Special Agent Terry Watson have been found, prosecuted, and brought to
justice,” said Attorney General Holder.“Special Agent Watson was a courageous patriot, a principled law
enforcement agent, and a proud defender of the rule of law.Our nation owes him and his loved ones a debt
we can never repay.And although our prosecution
of his heinous attackers has come to its rightful close, the Department of
Justice will never rest in our efforts to honor Special Agent Watson’s life of
service and sacrifice by upholding the values that he served to protect.”

“DEA
is grateful that the final two defendants connected to Terry Watson’s murder
faced justice in a U.S. court of law for their heinous crime," said
Administrator Leonhart.“Terry will be
remembered for his bravery, dedication and loyalty to our agency’s mission, and
his presence is missed every day by the men and women of DEA.Throughout this ordeal, the Watson family has
remained in our thoughts and prayers, and we will never forget their
sacrifice.”

Édgar
Javier Bello Murillo, 28, and Omar Fabián Valdes Gualtero, 28, were sentenced
today to 440 months in prison and 348 months in prison, respectively, by U.S.
District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee of the Eastern District of Virginia.Both pleaded guilty to second degree murder
and conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person on Dec. 19, 2014.

In
the statements of facts filed with their plea agreements, Valdes Gualtero and
Bello Murillo admitted that they conspired to conduct “paseo milionarios” or
“millionaire’s rides” in which victims were lured into taxi cabs, kidnapped and
then robbed.Both admitted that, on the
evening of June 20, 2013, they were a part of a six-person robbery crew that
targeted Special Agent Watson.One of
the members of the crew picked up Special Agent Watson in his taxi, while
another drove a second taxi carrying the assailants.Bello Murillo admitted that he entered the
taxi in which Special Agent Watson was riding and stabbed him multiple
times.Special Agent Watson was able to
escape from the taxi, but he later collapsed and died from his injuries.

In
total, seven defendants were arrested and extradited from Colombia to the
United States to face charges in connection with Special Agent Watson’s murder
and the subsequent attempt to cover up the crime.Six defendants pleaded guilty for their
respective roles in the kidnapping and murder: Julio Estiven Gracia Ramírez,
32; Héctor Leonardo López, 34; Andrés Álvaro Oviedo García, 22; Edwin Gerardo
Figueroa Sepúlveda, 40; Valdes Gualtero; and Bello Murillo.On Dec. 12, 2014, Gracia Ramírez was
sentenced to 27 years in prison, López was sentenced to 25 years in prison and
Oviedo García was sentenced to 20 years in prison.On Feb. 18, 2015, Figueroa Sepúlveda was
sentenced to 30 years in prison.A
seventh defendant, Wilson Daniel Peralta-Bocachica, 31, pleaded guilty to
obstruction of justice for cleaning the taxi cab in which the attack occurred
before turning it in to the Colombian National Police.On Feb. 18, 2015, Peralta-Bocachica was
sentenced to 40 months in prison.

This
case was investigated by the FBI, DEA and DSS, in close cooperation with
Colombian authorities and with assistance from INTERPOL and the Criminal
Division’s Office of International Affairs.The case is being prosecuted by Special Counsel Stacey Luck of the
Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant
U.S. Attorney Michael P. Ben’Ary of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern
District of Virginia.

The
Department of Justice gratefully acknowledges the Colombian Attorney General’s
Office, Colombian National Police, Colombian Directorate of Criminal
Investigation and Interpol (DIJIN), DIJIN Special Investigative Unit, Bogotá
Metropolitan Police, Bogotá Police Intelligence Body (CIPOL) Unit and Colombian
Technical Investigation Team for their extraordinary efforts, support and
professionalism in responding to this incident.